Pasta time

When restauranteur Pasquale Lamarra opened Pastaio in Port St. Lucie, Florida, he had no idea that move would also lead him to opening another restaurant in Royal Oak, Michigan. His Pastaio location in Florida was the former home of Michigan-based Hopcat, which had gone out of business. The landlord of the Florida property liked Pastaio so much that he convinced Lamarra to open a Pastaio in another shuttered Hopcat property that he owned in Royal Oak. The rest is history. Pastaio now occupies the first and third floor of the former Hopcat establishment while the second-floor houses the Lamarra’s 00-Bar. The restaurant and bar has seating for about 600 guests. The menu includes hand-made pastas and pizzas as well as entrée dishes featuring chicken, steak and salmon. Signature pasta dishes include Pappardelle Bolognese with ground veal, pork, beef, carrot, onion, fresh tomato sauce, herbs, and Cavatelli Trattoria with chicken, spinach, cherry tomatoes, roasted garlic, herbs. Lamarra designed the interior to have a clean, timeless contemporary feel using white walls, upscale lighting and finishes. 208 W. Fifth Street, Royal Oak eatpastaio.com